As a solo entrepreneur, I do it all: game development, backend development, frontend development, system administration, technical support, strategy, marketing, and content creation (and probably some other things I’m forgetting). Thankfully, Pro Wrestling Superstar has an incredible community creating wrestlers, matches, videos, and more. PWS wouldn’t be where it is without this community, and I’m grateful for every single contribution. Even with such an amazing community, though, I still have a lot on my plate.
With so much to manage, I automate wherever I can to focus on the things that bring the most value. I’m dedicated to making sure the PWS community has an outstanding experience. If something detracts from that experience, it becomes a priority, focusing on issues that affect players the most.
One issue that’s impacting some folks before they can even start playing PWS is antivirus software mistakenly flagging the PWS installer or executable as a threat. This issue prevents installation or stops users from running PWS, creating a negative first impression, which is unacceptable. I’ve spent dozens of hours trying to address this—testing technical solutions and reaching out to antivirus companies—but I’ve had very little success.
So why is this happening? The software I use to build PWS, called PyInstaller, can sometimes trigger false positives in antivirus software. In this thread, the PyInstaller developers discuss the “smarts” of antivirus software (which may not be as smart as you’d think) and explain that they don’t have a solution. I feel for them because PyInstaller is an awesome tool, and they’re likely dealing with questions from developers worldwide facing similar issues. For the smaller PWS community, the impact is more limited, but still frustrating.
This issue has become a recurring theme in PWS support. A significant number of requests involve antivirus software incorrectly identifying PWS as malware. I frequently have to reassure users that PWS is safe and provide them with instructions on how to exclude the PWS installer and executable from virus scans. I completely understand how off-putting this can be, and I truly apologize for the inconvenience.
I stand 100% behind PWS as a safe piece of software, and I always ensure that my build environment is free of malware. Unfortunately, the heuristics used by antivirus software can incorrectly flag certain files. This is understandable given the number of bad actors out there, but I do wish antivirus vendors were more responsive to small-time developers dealing with false positives. A few years ago, I had a weeks-long conversation with Norton where I repeatedly uploaded files for analysis. Eventually, they just stopped responding without explanation, which was discouraging.
I’ve recently added a code-signing step to my Windows build process, which should help with future releases, especially with the installer. Microsoft Azure offers reasonably priced, user-friendly code signing, and I’m grateful for that. I’m also compiling my own PyInstaller bootloader, a step recommended by the PyInstaller developers to reduce false positives. Hopefully, these changes will lower the chances of PWS being flagged. *crosses fingers*
I’ve also added a warning in the purchase emails to let users know that their antivirus software might flag PWS as a potential threat. If they encounter any issues, I advise them to whitelist PWS and reach out for support if needed. The PWS FAQ has been updated to cover this issue, and I encourage users to report any false positives to their antivirus vendors—though with PWS being such a small drop in the bucket, it might just be noise to them.
While I don’t know how much this issue is affecting PWS sales, it definitely impacts user perception and engagement. It has also significantly increased my support load as antivirus software products become more aggressive about incorrectly flagging PWS as a threat. Ironically, PWS is going “viral”—just not in the way I’d hoped.
With all there is to do for PWS and its community, this issue has become a distraction, pulling me away from the work that moves PWS forward. My time is limited, as I juggle family and a full-time job outside of PWS.
Antivirus is considered harmful to my business, and it’s very frustrating.